The present invention relates generally to automatic peach aligning and pitting mechanisms wherein each peach is first aligned relative to its suture line and is thereafter pitted by twisting its halves in different directions relative to the suture line while simultaneously cutting the peach along its suture line with opposed blades. More particularly, the present invention in one embodiment provides an adjustable aligner cup assembly capable of changing size from xe2x80x9cpeach-to-peach.xe2x80x9d
Prior art peach pitters which twist the peach halves while cutting the peach into halves are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,054,675; 4,288,461; 4,380,953; 4,486,454 and 5,182,983. Prior art orientors for fruit other than peaches include roller orientors shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,726,898; 4,730,719; 5,413,206 and 5,855,270.
The closest prior art known to applicants is a peach aligner/pitter mechanism using fixed size alignment rings on each aligner cup assembly, as described in more detail below. The fixed size rings are typically provided in three different sizes to accommodate and properly align different sized peaches: small, medium and large. The use of fixed size alignment rings in turn requires the use of rather complex grading and distribution mechanisms upstream in order to present the proper sized peach to the fixed size alignment ring. These mechanisms have inherent flaws resulting in downgraded fruit. Existing grading systems will typically include a gravity sort station wherein the smallest peaches supposedly fall through the smaller grates or rollers first and the largest peaches fall through larger grates or rollers last. However, smaller peaches frequently xe2x80x9cridexe2x80x9d on top of larger peaches past their intended separation point and ultimately fall through an incorrect separation point. That small peach will be carried to a medium or large fixed cup aligner, will not be successfully aligned or pitted, and will become downgraded for use in fruit cocktail, for example.
Another inherent problem with the prior art overcome by the present invention is periodic size distribution problems. A plant with an array of aligner cup assemblies with fixed size alignment rings may have, for example, an equal number of small, medium and large aligners. However, if a load of predominantly small peaches is fed into the grader/sorter, some small peaches will be redirected either manually or automatically into medium or large size aligners. They will not be successfully aligned or pitted and will become downgraded. Similarly, if loads of predominantly large peaches are fed into the grader/sorter, large peaches will be redirected to small or medium aligners, not properly aligned or pitted, and will be downgraded. The downgrading is a significant financial cost to the canner.
When peaches are not properly aligned during the pitting operation, pit fragments are often left in the peach. This requires rather extensive labor and reworking of the peach. During reworking of the peach, the peach half containing any pit fragment will be xe2x80x9cspoonedxe2x80x9d in which a large portion of the peach flesh is removed from the peach half to insure that all the pit fragments are removed. Additionally, if a peach is pitted when it is misaligned, it typically is unsuitable for canning as peach halves; it is often downgraded and must be diced for use in fruit cocktail.
The present invention reduces the downgrading of fruit caused by improper sized peaches being presented to an aligner cup assembly with a fixed size alignment ring. The present invention in one embodiment senses the size of a specific peach presented to a specific aligner cup assembly and automatically adjusts the size of a novel, adjustable alignment ring to that of the peach. The adjustable size aligner cup of the present invention may alternatively be used with a manual actuator or may be used with sensors that measure average size of a batch of peaches to be aligned. The present invention may be used in one embodiment in conjunction with prior art graders. The present invention may also allow the complete elimination of the prior art grader and distribution mechanisms.
A primary object of the invention is to provide an adjustable peach aligner capable of aligning peaches of different sizes.
A further object of the invention is to provide an automatic adjustable peach aligner which in one embodiment is capable of being adjusted to different sizes on a xe2x80x9cpeach-to-peachxe2x80x9d basis, i.e., the aligner is automatically adjustable to a different size for each individual peach to be aligned.
A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable peach aligner which reduces the amount of downgraded fruit that would otherwise occur when using a non-adjustable peach aligner.
Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable peach aligner which significantly reduces reliance on and, in some circumstances, facilitates the elimination of prior art size grading, sorting and size distribution systems for peach processors.
Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic, adjustable size peach aligner for use with an automatic peach pitter which reduces the number of pit fragments remaining in the peach segments after the pitting operation.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide an automatic peach aligning and pitting mechanism which is more efficient, more reliable and more cost effective than prior art mechanisms.